Cate Blanchett has issued a stark warning that the momentum of the #MeToo movement is being pushed aside. She’s arguing that the women who need it most are still struggling to be heard.
Voices Being Sidelined
Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscar‑winning actress said she’s concerned that the voices of ordinary women – not just celebrities – are being sidelined.
She said, “There are a lot of people with platforms who are able to speak up with relative safety and say, ‘This has happened to me,’ and the so‑called average woman on the street is saying #MeToo. Why does that get shut down?”
Blanchett stressed that the movement revealed something far bigger than isolated incidents.
She said, “What [the movement] revealed is a systemic layer of abuse, not only in this industry but in all industries, and if you don’t identify a problem, you can’t solve the problem.”
Gender Imbalance Continues
Blanchett says the gender imbalance on sets is still glaringly obvious.
She said, “I’m still on film sets and I do the headcount every day, and it is still, you know… there’s 10 women and there’s 75 men every morning.”
She made clear she has no issue working with men. However, she argued that a lack of diversity affects the entire environment.
She explained, “I love men, but what happens is the jokes become the same. You just have to brace yourself slightly, and I’m used to that, but it just gets boring for everybody when you walk into a homogeneous workplace. I think it has an effect on the work.”
Cannes Festival Demonstration
Her comments come eight years after she helped lead one of Cannes Film Festival’s most powerful demonstrations.
As jury president in 2018, Blanchett led a historic women’s march on the steps of the Palais des Festivals. She was joined by 82 women, including Kristen Stewart, Léa Seydoux, and Ava DuVernay. The number was symbolic: only 82 female directors had competed at Cannes in its entire history, compared with 1,866 men.
At the time, Blanchett delivered a message that still resonates today.
She said, “Women are not a minority in the world, yet the current state of the industry says otherwise.”
“As women, we all face our own unique challenges, but we stand together on these stairs today as a symbol of our determination and commitment to progress. We are writers, producers, directors, actresses, cinematographers, talent agents, editors, distributors, sales agents and all involved in the cinematic arts.”